> I know that Stallman and FSF say otherwise, but I even feel if I write a
> proprietary program that calls, say, gzip (via system or fork+exec)
> then my proprietary program is "a work based" on the gpl'd gzip. And
> so I can't distribute my program with proprietary-type license.
No more so than if you used bash to invoke your proprietary program
from the command line.
> (gzip is not a great example, I know about libz.so, you get the idea:
> proprietary program runs GPL'd program).
>
> I am worried that the GPL does not spell out this fork+exec is explicitly
> permitted, this is a crack that lawyers can insert a wedge and start
> pounding...
>
> Any thoughts on this?
It's like saying that your program belongs to Microsoft because it uses
the Window spooler. It's the kind of thing that so obvious that one
can only get confused by discussing it.
> Even more bizarre, if we suppose that a proprietary program calling GPL
> program is OK, what if I write a GPL'd program that links in GPL'd
> libraries (not LGPL) and (awkwardly and inefficiently, but
> nevertheless) somehow provides the "services" of the GPL'd library to
> the proprietary program?
The nice thing about the GPL/LGPL is that they are simpler than a lot
of other scenarios.
This example can be handled by a simple RPC server and would require
you to run the portmapper ;-). You can link to GPL libraries without
giving away your source. You merely have to provide linkable .o
files.
It's not like this stuff was dreampt up yesterday - we've been living
with the GPL for close to 20 years. Remember - the GPL is here to
protect *you* from having commercial interests poaching on your labor
without you getting anything in return.
ccb
--
Charles C. Bennett, Jr. VA LiNUX Systems
Systems Engineer, Northeast US 25 Burlington Mall Rd., Suite 300
+1 617 543-6513 Burlington, MA 01803-4145
[EMAIL PROTECTED] www.valinux.com
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